Loss of Free Speech and Loss Of Rights?
I think the rights of the few are slowly taking over the rights of the majority. Unfortunately, I can't find the article I was reading yesterday but it touched on a couple of stories that make you wonder if it is OK to do or say anything without someone getting offended. One story was about a place where they handed out marriage certificates. They had to take down a picture of a couple, man and woman couple, because it may offend gays and lesbians. The other was where they had to take down a picture of Jesus because it might offend Muslims. At the end of the article it stated that neither group was consulted to determine if there was actually any offence taken.
Other examples are store clerks not being allowed to say Merry Christmas. Christmas concerts cancelled because it might offend someone of a different religion.
Unfortunately, it is going to get worse in my opinion. I'm sure that will offend some people but its not like I am saying anything in hate. In fact I don't think those things I mentioned above have anything to do with hate. It is a custom, a symbol and the rights of the few seem to be more important than the rights of the majority. There is probably 2% of the population that is gay or lesbian. As for Muslim's I would guess there are less than 10% in our country.
To bastardize a famous quote, "Something is wrong in the country of Canada". And it isn't just the politics!! Or is it?
4 comments:
At work the other day (I manage the Native Art Gallery in our town), a little girl innocently said to her mom, "Ooooh mommy, did the indians make all this stuff?" The mom looked at me totally embarassed and corrected her daughter, "We don't call them indians dear, we call them natives." ...
Do you know what I call them? "people".
Kim, of course you do, you are Metis.
I actually don't see the big deal about seeing someone as their natural race. I work with many people from all over the world and yes they are either Chinese, East Indian, Pakistani, Iranian, Israeli, Philippians, Korean, Ukrainian, English, Scottish, etc., and it is great that I as a Canadian get to meet so many people from different parts of the world and can learn from them about their culture. Yes they are people, just like "First Nations" People ( I think thats the latest politically correct moniker) are people. But when it really comes down to it I actually look to them as people that are from another country.
I guess the point I was making is why do we have to be so silly about being politically correct? It doesn't bother me a whit if someone calls me an indian. And, most *indians* I know could care less either. Why are people tripping over themselves trying to give just the right label to every person or thing? They are actually accentuating the problem of isolation for minority groups. My advice is, just relax, underneath it all we are just people.
In most ways I agree. It seems that people take the political correct high road and put down others who don't. However, and I think I'm right on this, the 'First Nations' came into affect from the natives (Indians). I remember shortly after I first heard 'First Nations People' a whole bunch of signs went up at the entrances of reserves. You are right that everyone is just a 'people'. :-)
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